LEDOMDUVIN: SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND PASSION FOR WINE SINCE 1991 -
Tasting everything from everywhere, from the multimillion-dollar Chateaux to that small, unknown cellar ending a dirt path surrounded by vineyards... a wine blog to enjoy till the last drop!
Today is my last day of being 49 years old. Tomorrow, I will be 50.
I was working for lunch and, thus, was dressed in my Sommelier suit. And it was an excellent occasion to mark the last day of my 40s.
So, I asked a colleague to take a few pictures of me while tasting the « Clos de Tart » 2016 I had just opened, about 45 minutes before the host and her guests arrived.
Very happy with these few shots, and I don't think I look that bad for a guy about to turn 50. Youth is a state of mind. 😄👍🍷
I opened 2 bottles of Clos de Tart 2016, and both showed wonderfully.
Domaine du Clos de Tart 'Clos de Tart' Grand Cru Monopole, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France 2016
It displayed an attractive ruby-red colour of medium intensity. Right after opening, the nose boasted fresh and inviting notes of freshly picked red cherry, mineral, floral and herbal nuances. The palate was incredibly soft and gentle, very silky, almost fragile, yet focused and precise, combining elegance and charm, then revealing greater complexity and potential as it opened up after a few minutes in the glass and a few swirls.
After 45 minutes, it had changed, offering aromas and flavours of darker and ripper "griottes" (wild cherry) with earthy and oak nuances and a "soupçon" of tobacco and white pepper. The palate is silky, rich and fleshy, supported by excellent acidity and integrated tannins. Looooved it.
Although very approachable now, it is still young and could benefit a few more years, if not decades, to get even better than it already is.
I had a weird dream last night. Vivid and clear as if it was real. Bad or good omen, I couldn't say, but it felt strangely real and scary enough to wake me up shivering in fear as if it just happened. And made me wonder what could it mean…
I was outside, in a place I don't know, near a body of water. I couldn't tell if it was a sea or a lake, but it had no waves. It seemed that I was at a wedding, or some kind of celebration party, in a garden by a lake or some kind of a beach. The day was bright and blue. People were dressed in clear shades of white, beige and pink. For some reasons, my father was here and, as usual, I was having a strong discussion with him. A few other people sparsely placed around were curiously watching.
We both seemed annoyed, arguing about the attitude of each other regarding some old issues of my past, badly resolved situations due to hasty decisions and wrong judgments both of us made at the time. Him accusing and pointing a straight finger at all my mistakes. Me desperately trying to make him see that in the context, back then, scarce were the solutions and opportunities to be able to do something about it. The argument seemed pointless and endless, as usual, exactly like in real life.
When suddenly the scene took a dramatic turn, everything went into turmoil. The reception was flooded by slowly rising water, going up to our knees. The sunny weather, seconds ago, had turned grey and stormy. People seemed confused, almost panicking in dismay. And although standing just a few meters apart, the distance between us seemed to increase slightly as time slowed down respectively. The argument became more intense and incomprehensible. Nothing made any sense any more.
It was at this moment that I felt like falling and being dragged underwater. It was dark, muddy and murky. The water had some kind of weird feel to it. It was heavy, more like pulp in a strange fluid rather than water, getting darker and murkier the deeper I sunk. It felt like a strange force was pulling me down underwater. An uncomfortable and uncontrollable fear echoed through every inch of my flesh and bones, as the emotions and dying sensations conflicting in my head seemed so real. My soul gently slipping out, leaving my body into limbo. Unable to breathe, I was drowning.
My mouth was opened as if I was shouting in the water but no sound was coming out. My eyes were looking up for the fainting light, helplessly scrutinizing the darkness. My whole body trembled and heavy drops of sweat covered my forehead, neck and face. I was shaken by fear, emotions and sensations all at the same time. I couldn't move. Couldn't escape. Couldn't swim back up. The strange force pulling me down under felt dark and insensitive like I imagined death. There was no exit, no solution, just an irremediable fate.
Although, not being a faithful practicant, having a rather convoluted relationship with the lord, and as darkness closed down on my inert and lifeless self, suffocating and semi-conscious, strangely enough, the first thing that came to my mind was: "Please God, be with me"...
...the force, pulling me down under, unexpectedly vanished….. putting my descent to a rest… imminent death was unavoidable... time stood still and quiet… my body immobile in oblivion… dark became darker…. even silence sounded more silent... then I felt it… It came from below ... as indiscernible as the previous force, but brighter, sensitive and enveloping this time… as if two giant strong hands were supporting my back while pulling me up ... actually, more like, “carrying” me up rapidly to the surface…what may have lasted only a few seconds, seemed like an eternity to me… but I felt it…
I felt something…. both spiritually and physically… both in my dream and in reality... it felt so real…. so present… a serene force… almost like a presence so unrealistically there… quasi perceptible… almost touchable… strong yet gentle… hopeful and reassuring… then I woke up as my head came out of the dark water…. feeling more intrigued than scared… left only with a feeling of the perception of something unexplainable and previously unfelt…
It felt so strange and so real at the same time. It felt that it had a purpose. That it had responded to the internal distress which provoked my call to the divine. I was shivering, goosebumps all over, and the sweat had gone like it was never there. Everything was still dark but I was out of the water… out of my dream… laying down… thoughts and distinct moments of that rather peculiar dream racing through my head…. stills of this metaphorical vision imprinted in my brain...
My eyes were still closed but I knew I was awake now. I had difficulty to open them and my mind was unsettled... as I felt that it communicated with me… not via words, but via sensations, emotions, feelings… sending waves of subliminal images and thoughts through my mind…. Which left me pondering... what was the meaning of this ephemeral yet powerful event? was it real? ...or was it just a dream? and what could it mean? was it a message? or a piece of advice in disguise? a way to tell me to be careful? to do something? or pay more attention to something? I don't know… I couldn't say… not sure…
Yet, it felt so real to me… as the emotions and sensations were still going through my whole body, even if I was now fully awake… all my senses in alert as in fear it might come back…. like in shock after experiencing something deeply disconcerting... Yet, I felt like I had been rescued for a reason... like if it wasn't my time yet, it wasn't time for me to leave yet, something has to be done. Something, but what? about myself? my life? my work? my relationship with people in general? a parent? a friend? my father maybe?... what could it be...
I had the sensation that this dream was not just a dream, it had a meaning, a purpose… about something anchored deep into my subconscious. Perhaps, something related to my past, acting in my present with consequences for my future. Something I need to change. Something I need to pull out and rescue from drowning deep inside myself.
This strange dream left me thinking, as I wrote these lines shortly after waking up from it, that below my recurrent anxieties, fears and doubts, unable to have self-esteem and confidence, a strong potential has been asleep for years, waiting to be discovered and put to good use, and maybe it is reaching out to my subconscious for me to act on it.
In any case, this dream left a mark somehow and an impression that something needs to be done or achieved for myself to be pulled out of the dark water I’m drowning in internally…
NB: I wrote this dream shortly after having it, to remember it and more especially to remember the strange experience of having such an impacting dream, both physically and emotionally. I have been having strange dreams like this one since as long as I can remember in my very young years. Some with the same depth but rarely (or very occasionally) with such intense impressions and sensations of being so real, that it felt it really happened. Most of my dreams with such intensity, emotions, sensations and feelings have always been about being underwater (usually in deep water) or being in the sky (like floating or even flying), both usually signs of anxiety, fears, doubts, overwhelming situations and/or need of escaping (being released from) a situation or a person. By all means, I'm no expert, but it does make sense to me.
Although the title of this post is in French, I will write this post in English, as I normally do, as the audience of LeDomduVin is international, and thus English being the universal language, it will be easier for most readers. *
So, 2 days ago, I made this little video (above) to stress and insist on the importance of the "Avinage" of the decanter (ou "aviner la carafe" as we say in French), which is basically a part of the preparation of the decanter prior to proceeding to the decantation of the wine (or the preparation of a new barrel prior putting wine into it).
In my opinion, it is a crucial point (or step) of the wine decantation process that Sommeliers and other wine professionals (people in the wine biz in general) tend to forget or not do at all. And in my eyes, it is a terrible mistake not to do it. I have been in the wine business and a well seasoned and traveled, certified Sommelier for the past 28 years, and I have always done it (even at home).
Call me "old school" if you want, but for me, the "Avinage" of the decanter (prior decantation) is a question of principle (as it is how I learned to do it at the Catering and Hotel management school of Talence, Bordeaux), and it is logical too (as it is common sense to clean a decanter that has been sitting on a shelf prior putting some wine into it, isn't it?), and thus, it should be a reflex for all people working in the wine industry, but obviously, it is not. And that is the main reason why I made this video in the first place.
I watched dozens of videos on wine decantation and wine service on YouTube and realized that for 95% of them, none of the Sommeliers and other wine professionals proceeding to the decantation of wine (in these videos) did the "avinage" of the decanter in which the wine was about to be decanted in. None. And it drove the need for me to this video to remind people of the importance of doing it.
And, for the anecdote, even the Best Sommelier of the World 2019, Marc Almert, did not do the "Avinage" of the decanter during the final (you can check it in the video of the final here at 2:59:38). In fact, 2 out of the 3 finalists did not do it... unbelievable! Maybe it is a generational issue and the new generation may not see the point or is too lazy to do it, go figure... or maybe, I'm just an old grumpy Sommelier too attached to the traditions and the Art of the service to be able to fully understand why they do not do it anymore... or may it is a combination of both, who knows....
Pardon my French, but I searched everywhere online and in various dictionaries, and, trust me, there is no literal translation in English for these two French words. Therefore, for those of you who may have no clue about what I'm talking about, here is a clue. In both words, "Avinage" and "Aviner", you have the word "vin" or "wine" in French.
In general, the words "Avinage" (the noun) or "Aviner" (the verb) are terms more particularly used for wine, rather than any other liquids (e.g. with water only is call "rinsing", with detergent, is called "washing", etc...).
Both, "Avinage" and "Aviner", refer to the same action, and by definition, "Aviner" is the action of the "Avinage", which consists of pouring a small amount of wine into a barrel for example (before fermentation or aging process, especially for new barrels) or in a decanter (prior proceeding to the decantation and fill it with wine), then swirling the bit of wine inside energetically, and evacuating it rapidly (in order for anything inside to come out with the wine), prior to filling the barrel or the decanter.
Or, basically put, "Aviner" is the action of soaking the inside of a decanter (a barrel or any other containers) with a small amount of wine, prior to filling it, (for the purpose of this post we are talking about pouring wine into a decanter), to either or both (at the same time):
Clean the inside of the decanter from the presence of potential dust, water, previous wine, residues or any other unwanted foreign or harmful organisms, organic decays or other substances
Impregnate the inside of the decanter with the odors, smells, aromas, and flavors of the wine used, prior fill it with the rest of the wine in the bottle.
Once the wine has been swirled around inside to coat the inner part of the decanter (or the barrel), the wine is poured out back in a glass (or another container), and only then, the decanter (or barrel) is now ready to welcome the wine that will be decanted (or racked) into it.
Although this practice has existed for decades, (if not centuries), sadly, it has almost been forgotten and is rarely done nowadays. Yet, it has always been a very important part/step of the decantation process. And in my opinion, it should be done every time you use a decanter.
Historically, it is hard to pinpoint when and where this practice started first. All we know is that it has always pretty much been done for cleaning purposes as well as the impregnation of the aromas and flavors, for sure; but maybe (and understandably), also for the protection and security of the kings, the nobles and the wealthy in order to rinse the decanter and eliminate all sort of potential danger (from vile enemies trying to murder them with poison or else for example).
In fact, nowaday's lack of cleanliness is the main reason why you MUST do it, because, even if decanters are "supposedly" cleaned regularly, on a weekly basis at the minimum, and even at a daily basis, or even twice a day for certain restaurants, this is unfortunately NOT the case in (and/or for) ALL restaurants... and it is even worst in other places where the decanters are only used "occasionally" and often collect layers of dust by being put on display... (sigh)...
Therefore, you never know what you may have in the decanter. And usually, after a few days (or even worst, if it has been a week or more), there could be some :
Dust if the decanter has not been used and/or cleaned for a while
Water if it has been rinsed shortly before and/or not dried properly and/or left standing up after being rinsed
Detergent if it has been accidentally washed with a detergent and has not been rinsed properly enough (that is usually the worst case scenario, as if the avinage is not done prior decantation, the wine will immediately be affected by the detergent and become hazardous)
Organic decays or residues of the wine phenolic compounds remaining in the decanter, especially if has never been cleaned properly (you can see them when the decanter starts to have yellow or red markings or stains inside (at the bottom and the inner body part of the decanter), usually left by the layered deposits of phenolic chemical compounds (tannins, anthocyanins, etc...)), these can even attract living organisms feeding on them (fruit fly, wine fly, etc...).
And in some case, you can even have a bit of the wine previously decanted, if the decanter has not been cleaned at all
I did a second video (right above) where I'm showing you how to do the "Avinage" of the decanter (ou "comment aviner la carafe avant decantation"), from a different angle than the 1st video and with a close-up on the wine swirling in the decanter.
Why did I make this second video on the subject of the "Avinage" of the decanter? Because, in fact, I have not managed to find one on the internet or YouTube. In truth, there are many videos where wine professionals and Sommeliers can be seen doing wine decantations, but they do not do the "Avinage" of the decanter prior to the decantation of the wine.
So, I felt the need to do this 2nd little video in addition to the video made previously (the first one on this post) on the same subject, to really insist on how to prepare ("Aviner") the decanter before proceeding to the decantation.
NB: I did this 2nd video in only one take and very quickly (and under pressure for some reasons), so please excuse me for the mistakes and hesitations in the explanations and overall presentation. More especially, pardon my French for repeating a few times in this video "on avine le vin avec le vin" (meaning "we clean the wine with the wine"), which is wrong, "on avine la carafe avec le vin" (meaning "we clean the decanter with the wine") of course. I put myself under pressure to do this video fast and without any disturbances and therefore did not carefully choose my words like on the first video (which I also did in one take). (I may redo it more relax soon).
I made a 3rd video (just above), by basically trimming the 2nd video, and focus on the "Avinage" part only, as, (at the end of the day), it is the most important part of the process prior decantation and the subject of this post too.
So, the action of the "Avinage" or the approach you should take on how to clean the decanter prior proceeding to the decantation of the wine ("Aviner la carafe avant de proceder a la decantation du vin") consists on the following process:
Open a bottle of wine
Pour a small amount of the wine into a wine glass
Smell the wine in the glass to ensure the quality of the wine and make sure it does not present any defaults/defects on the nose
NB: do not taste the wine and pour the little bit of wine into the decanter after tasting it as you will put your microbes/bacterias inside the decanter too
Pour the wine you've just smelled from the glass into a decanter
Swirl the wine inside the decanter for a few seconds, in order to soak the decanter, so that the wine impregnates the inner walls of the decanter with its aromas and flavors
Evacuate rapidly the wine from the decanter back into the wine glass
Taste the wine (the best part of the process 😊) (as the decanter is supposed to be clean, prior being used, the wine should not be affected by anything previously contained into the decanter)
Leave the decanter by the empty bottle previously put with the cork and the capsule (if not put back on the top of the bottle) on a small plate or a coster on the gueridon or on the customer's table until it is time to serve the wine
Et voila!
And this process of "Avinage" only takes a few seconds to do, so you have no excuse not to do it. Moreover, it is the best and only way to ensure that the decanter is clean and free of any residues of any kinds (dust, water, detergent, previous wine, etc..) and that the wine will not be affected by anything foreign that could have been inside the decanter prior to doing the "Avinage".
In conclusion, please do yourself a favor, and please your customers at the same time, DO the Avinage !!! (and make sure your decanters are cleaned regularly, at least once a day)
To answer the unfriendly, not to say nasty and unjustified comments I received shortly after posting this post
To answer the unfriendly, not to say nasty and unjustified comments I received from some unknown peers in the wine biz (Sommeliers and other supposedly being "wine professionals"), a few days after I posted this post, more especially in reaction to the 3rd video above on the "Avinage of the carafe", I only have the followings to say (even if it is a repeat of what has been said above, and to make sure people understood the importance of this process):
- 1 - In Sommellerie, the decanter is cleaned with a little amount of wine (thus "Aviné") prior to proceeding to the decantation to avoid eventual contamination of the wine by possible debris or liquids that may be found in the decanter, but also to impregnate the inside of the decanter with the aromas and flavors of the wine before decanting. And NO, this is not an ancient procedure from the past when people were more careless and washing technics as well as cleaning products were not as adapted and/or as efficient as they are now... And YES, this procedure should still be in use nowadays. (It is also stupid to think that people were more careless before than they are now, in my opinion, it is probably the other way around)
- 2 - NO, you should not assume that all your decanters are clean and impeccable. As, indeed, they may NOT be as clean and impeccable as you think. Bad smells, dust, water, detergent if accidentally washed with a detergent, (or others), could have found their way inside; and it would be stupid and ignorant from you to assume that it is not the case as it cannot happen, and even more stupid of you to think that all decanters are always clean and free of anything inside. I have worked in the restaurant business as Head Sommelier and Restaurant Manager long enough to know that it is not true and it is far from being the reality in most restaurants.
- 3 - A lot of things that are supposed to be done (and are assumed to be done too) by the Sommeliers and/or other restaurant's staffs are unfortunately not always done or not necessarily done properly and not always checked by the Head Sommelier or the Restaurant Manager. And let's be serious, we all know people slacking off on the job, who constantly tell lies about things they do or did while they actually did not, unfortunately. It is human nature. So, never assume they have done it, check!!!
- 4 - A Sommelier's job is to make sure that the decanters are properly cleaned after each use and make sure that all decanters are cleaned at least once a day, if not, at least every other day. Yet, there again, it would be stupid, ignorant and innocent to a fault to believe that cleaning of all the decanters is done on a daily basis in all the restaurants, everywhere in the world. As I said above, I know the restaurant and hospitality world all too well, and I have seen too many absurd and even sometimes unspeakable things done by the restaurant and hotel staff. And trust me, even in the strictest restaurant or hotel in the world, where the staff receive excellent training and art of the table and service education and are disciplined, there are many things that should be done on a daily basis and that are not. So, please, stop assuming and check on what your staff is doing!!!
- 5 - The "avinage" of the decanter IS and has always been a crucial part of the decantation process, unfortunately too often forgotten as not been taught in restaurant and Sommelier School anymore, due to the assumption that decanters are always clean and impeccable, and therefore that the "avinage" is no longer necessary. This assumption is terribly wrong, for all the reasons provided above:
Assuming all decanters are always clean and impeccable
Ignoring the potential presence of bad smells, dust, water, detergent if accidentally washed with a detergent, or others
Not accepting the fact that decanters may not have been cleaned properly and may not have been checked by the management
Trusting without checking people slacking off on the job and not doing what they are supposed to be doing
Assuming people are always doing their job without checking what they have done
Believing that the "avinage" is an old procedure that has no reason to exist any longer
This list is non-exhaustive and I could continue to add other arguments and reasons to why the "avinage" is still of major importance in the decantation process and why it should be done. But I will stop here, as I feel exhausted and disappointed to read all the nasty comments of so many people who believe they are right while they are actually wrong, and assume they know better than anyone else, when the reality of things around them in restaurant and hotel is telling them the opposite of what they believe to be true. So, once and for all, put in your pea brain that NO, not all decanters are always clean and impeccable, and NO, not all Sommelier and other restaurant and hotel staff are doing their job properly, and NO, do not assume that you don't have to check on them either.
I wrote this last paragraph especially to directly answer a Sommelier (of my age roughly), working supposedly as a teacher in a Sommelier School in Paris, and who wrote a list of really nasty, judgemental, arrogant and pretentious comments to my post (with the 3rd video above) on my LinkedIn profile, which really pissed me off and irritated me to the core, beyond believe (and it has been a long time I felt such anger against someone).
To tell you the truth, I hate when people strongly judge and criticize when they don't even know or have no relation whatsoever with you or the person they are spitting nonsense about (the French are usually good for that, unfortunately). And I also hate nasty, judgemental, arrogant, pretentious, snob and up their nose Sommeliers! (And God knows they are plenty of them in this world.... sigh).
Sorry for ranting like that, but sometimes it is good to shout it out instead of keeping it inside.
Cheers! Santé!
LeDomduVin a.k.a. Dominique Noël
Leave me a comment below to let me know what you think about these videos.
They are in French, I know, it is a bit difficult if you do not speak/understand it, but I will try to make some videos in English too soon. 😊
*Anyhow, you also have the translation button option at the top of the right-hand side column if really needed 😉
PJ Wine Inwood Manhattan NYC - Photo courtesy of John Davis (2016) for Google Map
Memories of my New York years often resurface in my mind, I guess, even after 8 years living in Hong Kong, I have not forgotten my years spent in the Big Apple.
The year was 2002 when I left London to come to Manhattan, after 5 crazy years living in the British Capitale. At that time, I was following the one that would eventually become my wife.
After studying in "The Smoke" (a persistent nickname for London, where we met in 2000), she decided to move back to her home country, the US, and settled in "The City that never sleeps" in 2001.
As for me, after being a Sommelier/Maitre D' and wine buyers for restaurants in various places in France for 6 years (1991-1997), then in Britain for 5 years (1997-2002), I was about to rejoin my American girlfriend and, without knowing it yet, have a life-changing experience on the other side of the Atlantic.
I was already seeing myself facing new challenges on the road to success, without really knowing anything about where I was going? what would I find there? or even where will I work? Yet, the lyrics of the eponymous song, "New York, New York", were already echoing in my head: "If I can make it there, I'm gonna make it anywhere."....
I drove all the way down from London to my birth town of Bordeaux.Map courtesy of Google Map
So, I left London and went back to France, the south-west of France more exactly. I drove all the way down from London to my birth town of Bordeaux. I stayed there for about nearly 8 months, working as Sommelier/Maitre D' for a private caterer supervising the service at wine dinners and events in the many Chateaux of the Graves and Haut-Médoc areas while waiting for my US Visa.
It was fun as it allowed me to get reacquainted with numerous Chateaux owners, winemakers and brand ambassadors, I had not seen for years, to have the chance to spend some time with them, as well as to listen to them talking about their respective property and the quality of the vintages, and of course tasting their wines too (the most interesting part I must say 😊).
When my US visa came, I was ready to go. This brief interlude of about 8 months back home, in France, living once again at my parent's homes ("s" as they are divorced), after working 5 years in the UK, was somehow needed, but, in fact, seemed very, very long, as, frankly, I could not wait any longer to see my girlfriend again and start a new chapter of my life in the Empire State.
And to tell you the truth, as much as I love my parents, the supposedly few months to wait for my US visa, which ended up turning into a lengthy 8 months waiting period at my parent's houses, with not much money saved in the bank, only occasional works here and there with the caterer, and therefore not much to spend and consequently stuck in this situation of not being able to do much or to even try to have a regular job (as the visa could arrive any time any day), did not suit at all the free-minded and free-spirited 27 years old I was back then. No offence to my parents, but in the end, I could not wait to get out of their houses and get my freedom and independence back.
In fact, if I knew it would take that long, I would have stayed a little longer in the UK, worked and saved more money to prepare for my jump across the Atlantic. But hey, that's life and at the end of the day, as I said above, it was somehow needed... I needed to resource myself for a little while prior to live new adventures on the other side of the planet.
I went to New York once before, back in 1998, with a friend of mine, when the twin towers of the World Trade Center were still standing proudly. It was our first trip to the USA for both of us. We were both eager to discover the country of Uncle Sam, but for different reasons, that I only realized at the end of our trip.
New York amazed me as much as it scared me. We spent around 10 days visiting pretty much everything and anything the city had to offer. I was fascinated and I knew already it will not be my last visit. It was an old dream come true and I was not disappointed. The mix of old and new architectures, history and stories, races, cultures, religions, colours, traditions, languages, the energetic vibes and the constant noises and lights of the city that never sleeps, it was a melting pot like rarely seen one like that before. Even London and Paris seemed rather quiet and "national" compared to New York's inherent energy and internationality.
At the end of that trip, on the way back to London, my friend told me that he loved NYC and was glad that he had visited it, but that overall the US, in general, was not his thing, and that he did not want to stay in the UK either, his goal was to go to Asia soon and maybe settle in Hong Kong or Singapore, as he had a thing for Asian women.
Stunning view of the twin towers and Manhattan skyline at night (late 90s)by and courtesy of John Cardasis - Getty Imagesextracted from a www.tripsavvy.comarticle (read it here)
For me, I went on that trip as I wanted to experience the "American Dream", going to the US was something that I always wanted to do since my early teenage years. A huge fan of American's comics, clothes, music and ways of living, surely due to growing up in the late 70s and 80s in a very Americanized France, I wanted to experience it for myself. And two years after that first trip to NYC, in 2000, while I was still in London, I met my American girl and fell in love with her. Fate? Maybe... Who knows? but I took it as a first sign that my wish to go back to the US could come true.
When she moved back to the US and settled in New York, I was still living in London and our relationship took a toll. You know, you're in love with someone, and it is just the beginning and you are at that stage where everything matters and everything has to be important and you want to be with the other person 24/7, thinking there is nothing else better in the world and imagine how good it could be if time could stop forever when you're together.... you know what I mean.... Well, it was not like that exactly for me and my American girl, as although we barely knew each other and we had our heads in the clouds with the romance, our relationship was a bit more grown-up than a teenage love story... but still, it was difficult to be apart...
Distance relationships tend to test the veracity of your sentiments for the other person and define how important this relationship is to you and how far are you ready to go and commit to it. So, I told her that if we wanted our relationship to work, we could not stay any longer that far apart from each other. One of us had to make a move, either me going to the US or her coming back to Europe, for us to be together again. That was the only way.
Moreover, she had just moved to "Gotham" (another nickname for New York), so if a decision had to be made, it was now or never. So, we decided that the first one who finds a good job for the other would decide on where we will be living. She found me a job first, and I must say, after 5 years in London and no real desire to go back to live in France (back then), it was not too difficult to convince me. And by accepting the job she found for me, I was finally realizing my wish to live and experience the US for myself. So, moving across the Atlantic it was. My decision was made and there was no going back on it. (And it was easier for me logistically too, so it made more sense).
Prior living France, during the 8 months waiting for my visa, we phoned and emailed each other very regularly on a weekly basis (even on a daily basis should I say). Each day that passed had its dose of both sweet romances at a distance and "I-cannot-wait-any-longer-anymore" type of moments. But the wait was over, as I was now sitting by a small window, flying at 35,000 feet, my eyes looking into the far, staring at the ocean of clouds beneath going as far as the horizon. New York, here I come.
Hours later, the plane landed at JFK. She was there waiting for me. My heart had both long-awaited and apprehended that moment for months, and here we were, my heart and I facing our destiny. After some "embrassades" and kisses and a few tender words, we took a taxi and aimed for the city. The highway 495 was congested and the traffic rather slow, which gave us the opportunity to talk, look at each other in the eyes, exchange a few kisses and talk some more.
I was asking a lot of questions and was looking around too. And at some points on the road, within the 3 minutes prior to entering the "Queens Midtown Tunnel" that leads right to the center of the city (exiting just at 37th street, between 2nd and 3rd avenue), there are stunning panoramic views of Manhattan (which usually last less than a few seconds depending on how fast the taxi you're in drives), and once again I was in awe facing the "grandiose" scenery of these buildings piled up on each other, scraping the sky for some of them. New York, here I am.
Have a look at this short video of the last few minutes on the road 495 (going westbound toward Manhattan) prior to entering the Midtown tunnel, and you'll understand what I'm trying to say (especially if you have never been to New York) (video courtesy and property of "Roadwaywiz" YouTube Chanel).
I did not know exactly where my girl settled down, I had a vague idea, but, apart from some memories from my first trip 4 years back, I did not really know the town. My eyes could not resist looking outside and realize (once again) how "grand" everything is in Manhattan: the buildings, but also the streets and avenues, the monuments, the signboards, but also the people too, as tall and large as the town they live in, no wonder why the portions of food are so big here 😊.
The taxi drove to FDR Drive, on the east side of Manhattan, toward the Harlem River Drive and the north of the island. I was trying to recognize the landmarks and flagship buildings along the way. Bobby Womack's song came to mind
I have been writing stories and poems (and scenarios, comics and even books), since my very early childhood, even taking the pictures or drawing the illustrations for them for as long as I can remember. I was writing and drawing everywhere I could and whenever I could (even whenever I couldn't, meaning during classes that had no interest to me, while faking listening to the teacher).
It was bad... I was bad.... always lost in my world... always pushing the limit of my imagination and my creativity... and barely able to concentrate on the more serious and concrete things life is made of.
I only write on inspiration, I never force myself to write. If it comes, it comes. And I can fill up tones of pages and spend hours without stopping writing as long as the inspiration comes. If it doesn't, then I don't, and won't even try, as it would be useless.
But, this morning was one of these mornings when inspiration strikes me. I woke up formulating in my mind the 2nd verse of the poem below... for some reasons, the metaphor in the verse would not leave my mind...
Did I wake up horny? Or, in need for sexual healing? ... maybe, but I don't think so... The image in my mind was more subtle and refined than just satisfying a sudden body need... It was gentle and tender... A soft and delicate thought... Like something I haven't done for a long time and wanted to do... slowly, quietly, patiently, affectionately... taking all the time in the world to do it... and finding that special someone to share and experience the moment with... I had no one in mind... I was just imagining that it is what I would love to do if I find the right person... hopefully, one day...
...and I'm sure lots of other people could relate to that poem too...
So, I immediately took a piece of paper as I did not want to forget the words, and as I wrote down the second verse, it inspired the first one, then the rest of the poem flowed effortlessly, transcribing, "au fur et à mesure" (gradually), the images appearing in my mind.
I would like to dedicate this poem to all the lonely souls in this world (male and female, as this poem, can be applied to both), for them to believe in themselves a bit more, gain some self-confidence and find the strength and the courage to be stronger inside to fight their fears and doubts, to have more confidence in themselves and to face their personal challenges to one day finally find their soulmate, that special person who will accept and understand them, and love them for who and what they are and just the way they are (me included), to live and share the type of sentiments and moments I described in this poem.
So, without further due, here it is.....
Poem in crescendo to an unknown love
One day, I would love to tell you
What I really think about you
Tell you in a whisper: “I love you!”
That I would love to make love to you
That I’d love to sense your body
Shivering under the caress of my hand
Undulating along your curves slowly
Feeling the emotion through your skin
That I’d love to run my hand in your hair
For a while let my fingers linger there
Before gradually descending on your neck
Then gently draw the contour of your face
That I’d love to lose myself in the tenderness of your regard
Taking the time to look at you and pose there
Redefining the lines of your visage with my timid stare
Exchanging eyes in eyes our sentiments for each other
That I’d love to share and laugh with you
And I’d hate arguing and fighting with you
And how the view of your smile and the sparks in your eyes
Can magickly brighten any of my darkening skies
That I’d love endless conversations
Some without moving the lips, not saying a word
Or on the contrary some with thousands of words
Sharing all of our ideas, interests and passions
That I’d love to stroll and sit down on the beach
Watching your beautiful silhouette shaped by the sunlight
Imagining things already while you walk back toward me
Returning your smile embellishing your profile flawlessly
That I’d love to indefinitely keep in mind
The picture of you in these beige sepia tones under the bright sun
Droplets of the ocean still streaming on your skin
While we lay down, our bodies and lips reuniting
That I’d love to watch the seasons pass by at your side
Watching Nature awaken in Spring, swimming in the waves in the warmth of Summer
Dancing with the leaves in the wind of Autumn while strolling in the wild
Cuddling in bed, trekking and skiing the slopes and playing in the snow of Winter
That I’d love to lay down beside you, both looking at the sky
Your head next to mine guessing the shapes in the clouds
Admiring the immensity of the universe by a bright summer night
Gazing at the stars, our imagination and dreams knowing no bounds
And there are so many other things that I would love to say to you…
But as I remain speechless, distant, too shy and insecure to approach you
Glancing at you furtively from afar despite my inner desire to let you know
You've just noticed the expression in my eyes alight with countless thoughts of you...
Your faint but inviting smile is quite irresistible and friendly
I should stand, surmount my fears, and embrace you warmly
Yet, hypnotised by your charm, I doubt I’ll do the first step to say hello…
But... maybe, you never know...
Hope you liked this sentimental poem... let me know in the comments if you feel like it...
I had a lot of pleasure writing it, and if I knew how to play an instrument, I think I will even make it as a song, as I was almost singing it while writing it somehow.....
That's all folks for today,
Stay tuned for more posts about wine, and life in general, coming soon.
Revisiting Leonardo Da Vinci's famous painting "The Last Supper" by adding "speech bubbles" and texts to it to depict Jesus and his Apostles discussing wine was the best way for me to visually introduce this vast and controversial subject of "Biodynamic Farming and Viticulture." (*)
So, let's talk about Biodynamic, shall we?
1. Are "Humans coming to their senses"?
Since its creation back in 1924, Biodynamic has been the subject of endless discussions, mingling criticism and skepticism, dividing people and forcing them to either stand between the lines or firmly camp on their position and stand with their opinions; hence my illustration above, as Biodynamic is like an endless and recurring subject of conversation.... (sigh)
I can already hear you say: "Here we go again, another article about Biodynamic..." putting back on the table (once again) this controversial subject (and its practices) that has been debated for more than 90 years... And I will say: Yes! You are right, it is another article on "Biodynamic", but with a slightly different approach somehow...
And why not, after all? Dormant for more than 60 years, the so-called "biodynamic method" has experienced a resurgence over the last 20-25 years, during which its recognition increasingly expanded. More especially, it became "fashionable" and gained countless adepts over the last 10-15 years (roughly....). Prior to that, only a minority had ever heard about it, among which few were willing to apply it to their vineyards, and an even smaller number of people believed in it, and even fewer practiced it.... Nowadays it is on everyone's lips. It almost became a trend somehow...
Biodynamic is now nearly unavoidable (and it is a good thing) as humans have finally come to their senses (have they, really?), realizing that "Earth" needs to be saved (Earth no need saving, it will still be there long after us, yet humanity does).
After decades of being told about pollution and climate change due to human activities, they realized they needed to be more disciplined, stop overproduction and overconsumption, and, more particularly, stop destroying the planet by polluting the ground, the water, and the air with chemicals, plastics, and other fossil fuel-derived products, to go back to more natural and environmentally friendly methods and cultures. Did they, really?
"Humans are finally coming to their senses..." Well, let's not be too hasty on this one... only some humans, not all humans... and only a very small minority of them in fact! It is a little hope... like a silver lining in the gloomy future awaiting us tomorrow...
Scientists used to say "If we do not change, things will get worse within 100 years"! Then, as computer technology and test simulators improved, they said "Actually, maybe within 50 years..." Nowadays, realizing changes have been occurring much faster than what their computers and algorithms predicted, scientists revised their prediction to 15-20 years. Talking about 2030 at the earliest. They are even now saying that even making drastic changes might not be enough to save us.
So unless we all decide to make the necessary drastic changes within the next few years to hopefully still be able to return the situation, we are surely doomed! Frankly, I fear for my kid's future.
So, "Are humans really coming to their senses?" Maybe (or not), but it is a bit late, in my opinion. Too late, maybe? ...probably, and unfortunately, nothing has been done to this day to radically change our bad habits and ways of living. We have the know-how, the manpower, and the technologies to do it, but we aren't doing anything about it.
It feels like humans have been looking at the wall they are going to crash into for more than half a century now, but they haven't pressed on the break yet or even changed course. They are still driving right ahead, straight into it...
Worse, they are building this wall they will crash into. So not only have they seen it and have been looking at it, but, furthermore, they have been elaborating on its construction for decades, knowing that they will crash into it. Yet, that did not stop them.... (sigh)
Let's take "Plastic" for example. I mean "Plastic" and all derivated products made from hydrocarbons found in fossil energies like natural gas, oil (petroleum), and coal. Plastic is a scourge, a curse, a plague, a flail for humanity... yet it simplified and tremendously helped certain things and aspects of our daily lives since its creation in the 1800s... Yet, it became our nemesis, invading and polluting air, water and soil, as we still don't know how to recycle it properly. In fact, it is cheaper to produce than to recycle...
As per the statistics, only 10-15% of all the plastics produced in the world are recycled, and this recycling is incredibly onerous, expensive, and consumes a lot of energy. As per certain websites, like https://plasticoceans.org/the-facts/: "We are now producing nearly 300 million tons of plastic every year, half of which is for single use. More than 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into our oceans yearly." Therefore, the rest is either incinerated (which pollute the air) or buried in landfills (which pollute the soil and subterranean water bodies and rivers).
The problem with producing plastics and other pollutants that are not recyclable is that we have no other solution but to burn, bury, or sink them. In short, we are basically doomed! Even more so, money, power, and politics are more prevalent in this world than common sense and saving the planet (humanity).
Frankly, I don't think humans will ever come to their senses! It will be a miracle if it happens.... (sigh)
However, using Biodynamic and Organic methods in agriculture and viticulture, which are more natural and sustainable, might help prevent the situation from worsening and buy us some time.
2. So why write, yet again, another article on Biodynamic?
It occurred to me that I wanted (or needed) to voice out my opinion and write an article about Biodynamic when, some time ago, I read an interesting little article on Biodynamic (here) where the person was roughly saying that (in his opinion (**)):
Biodynamic is better than Organic, Natural, Lutte Raisonnée, Integrated Farming, Sustainable agriculture, or conventional agricultural methods (in short, better than any other producing methods)
He has never been disappointed by a Biodynamic wine compared to other wines produced with the other methods (cited above)
In his article, he explains why he prefers "Biodynamic" wines over any other wines, and I must say that, for the most part, I cannot necessarily disagree with him. Yet, (and like with many other articles written on the subject over the past 2 decades) some parts in his article made me wonder and asked myself a few questions.
The reason why such articles about biodynamic viticulture (biodynamic farming in general) and biodynamic wines always make me wonder is because every time I just finished reading an article on the subject, it annoyingly makes me feel that the person who wrote it would rather have all vineyards converted and all wines produced under biodynamic methods, disregarding, or even worst, discarding all the other methods, region, climate, terroir, etc...
And, every time I feel that way, it irritates me somewhat... (...you know that feeling that if the guy (or gal) was right in front of you, you would probably tell him/her a few words......
Why don't they (or can't) understand that biodynamic methods and processes cannot necessarily be applied everywhere? (meaning not in specific regions and/or under certain climates/micro-climates). Thus, not every vineyard can be converted to biodynamics, and not every wine can be Biodynamic.
Of course, it would be great and so much better if all the world's vineyards and wines could be converted to and produced via biodynamic or organic methods (more natural and sustainable). It would be better for the environment, the soil and subsoil, the plants, the life surrounding the vines and the vineyards (fauna and flora), etc..etc..
However, and I'm sorry to say, it might prove impossible (for now) depending on the region of production and location (geography, topography, geology, climate, sub-climate, terroir, soil, subsoil, etc.).
With this post, I will try to explain why.
You might agree or strongly disagree... however, here is my take on "biodynamic" and what I have to say about it (which comes as a complement to an old post I wrote back in 2009 - read it here)
1. First, let's go back to basics... What is biodynamic?
So, first of all, do you know what "Biodynamic" is?
My illustration above somewhat illustrates Mr. Rudolf Steiner's "Biodynamic Farming Theory" (in a simplified way). Yet, it is so much more complex than that...
However, it is a start, especially for all of you millennial newbies who have grown up hearing that word everywhere and for everything but don't know what it is or what it refers to. (Am I wrong?)
So let's google it, shall we? Like everybody else, when searching for a word online (on the internet), one of the first links that come up is "Wikipedia," and Wikipedia says the following:
"Biodynamic agriculture is a form of alternative agriculture very similar to organic farming, but it includes various esoteric concepts drawn from the ideas of Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925). Initially developed in 1924, it was the first of the organic agriculture movements. It treats soil fertility, plant growth, and livestock care as ecologically interrelated tasks, emphasizing spiritual and mystical perspectives." Wikipedia
So, there you are! Now, you know what is biodynamic agriculture (viticulture and farming)! Or do you really know it?
Of course, you do not know, as no one can fully understand biodynamic farming without having read and experienced plenty on the subject and, more significantly, studied and applied Rudolf Steiner's work to agriculture and/or viticulture. It is also difficult to understand it without having lived as a farmer in the countryside before the 1850s or practicing the methods for a few years in a vineyard converted to biodynamic.
So, to learn about the subject, you can always start by reading the Wikipedia article and other articles on the subject (like some of my previous posts on my blog here and/or here, too). After that, you might start to feel that you understand it somewhat (or at least more than before), which is a good thing.
Yet, even if some of you may already consider yourself experts on the subject and surely do not need any lecture or guidance from a Sommelier like me (which I could definitely understand), please allow me to try to resume the big lines quickly for you.
Rudolf (Joseph Lorenz) Steiner (1861-1925) Austrian philosopher, scientist, social reformer, architect, scholar, lecturer, esotericist, etc...
2. Rudolf Steiner and the concept of Biodynamic Farming (Agriculture and Viticulture)
The Biodynamic Farming Theory (or concept, if you prefer) was elaborated/created (or founded if you prefer) by Rudolf Steiner back in 1924. This theory (or concept) was based on the lectures of ideas, concepts, research, and studies on agriculture he started at an earlier stage, back in 1910, in response to questions asked by farmers and growers facing the depletion of soils and a general deterioration of crops and livestock (in Austria and Germany).
Between 1910-1918, at the end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867-1918), and also right after WWI, between 1918-1924, the market value of Austrian agricultural products and services decreased by nearly 48% (***), which did not help to reassure the worried farmers and growers.
The depletion of the soils and deterioration of the crops and livestock were (directly and/or indirectly) the consequences of the "Second Industrial Revolution" (1870-1914), World War I (1914-1918), and the end of the Austria-Hungary Dual Monarchy (1867-1918), leaving Austria and Germany in bad shape. A solution needed to be found.
A man of many hats and a controversial public figure, Rudolf (Joseph Lorenz) Steiner (1861-1925) was an Austrian philosopher, skilled scientist, social reformer, architect, scholar, lecturer, and esotericist who initially gained some recognition at the end of the 19th century as a literary critic and published philosophical work.
At the beginning of the 20th century, he founded the esoteric spiritual movement Anthroposophy (a blend of philosophy and theosophy) and published books on philosophy, theosophy, life, and education, as well as on esoteric and occult sciences, while attempting to synthesize science and spirituality.
Around 1910, Steiner, who was everything but a farmer (actively involved in art and architecture at the time), embarked on personal study and research on farming and agriculture, including the science of soils and plants and their environments.
In fact, he mostly gathered and applied the old know-how (savoir-faire) and practices of the old days of farming and agriculture (the way things were done by our great-great-great-parents before 1850 and the Industrial Revolution 1760-1840), to which he applied esoteric concepts and processes with a cosmological, spiritual, ethical, and ecological approach.
Once he finalized his methods, Rudolf Steiner gave eight lectures on “the spiritual foundations for a renewal of agriculture.”
Based on his suggestions and spiritual science, generations of farmers, gardeners, viticulturists, and researchers developed his biodynamic methods as a healing, nurturing, holistic, ecological, organic, and spiritual approach to sustainable care of the Earth.
Basically, "Biodynamic methods" consider the farm or garden to be a "self-contained organism" embedded in the living landscape of the Earth, which is, in turn, part of a living, dynamic cosmos of vital, spiritual energies.
The aim is to increase the health and vitality of the whole, including the farm, the land, the crops, and the culture, including the farmer or gardener. The biodynamic practitioner follows an alchemical, transformative path of "working with the Earth" through the nine “homeopathic” preparations created by Steiner.
3. How we had to invent new words to redefine what used to be simply know as "farming".... and the use of chemicals....
As I said in my illustration above, people often confuse organic, biodynamic and natural wines... But in fact, it is essential to make the difference between Bio (Organic), Biodynamic, Natural, Lutte Raisonnée, sustainable viticulture, conventional viticulture, etc...
Anciently simply known as "Farming", "Organic" and "Biodynamic" culture and agriculture have in fact both always existed under the sole and unique name of "Farming"until let's say the apparition and use of the chemicals.
Farming was the way of the past, and when I say "past", I mean the good old days of our great-great-great-grandparents. More precisely, the old days prior chemicals first appearance during the "Industrial Revolution" within the second half of the 18th century.
Rooted in the alchemy of the medieval times, chemistry led to the creation of chemicals roughly around 1750s, then first classified around the late 1780s by Lavaoisier in his "Methods of Chemical Nomenclature" (1787), where he invented a system of naming and classification still largely in use today, including names such as sulfuric acid, sulfates, and sulfites (****).
, Chemicals were further developed around the end of the 19th century, and their use gradually intensified up to the point when they were heavily manufactured and commercialized in the early 20th century, first around "World War I" and then more especially after and since "World War II".
In fact, Farming was the way our great-great-great grandfather use to do it. At the time, treatment of the vines was more natural and respectful of the soils, subsoil and overall environment (obviously as chemicals did not exist and therefore were not around to be used, duh....). Therefore, the knowledge, skills, experiences, and wisdom of the old and wise were passed on from father to son, mother to daughter (and/or vice versa), and work in the field and vineyards was done according to the seasons and the lunar calendar.
The old and wise were men and women of earth. Peasants, or farmers if you prefer, who knew what to do by experiences, experiments, as well as from what they learned from their elders and by observing and following the life circles of nature. All these allowed them to know that certain things needed to be done at a certain time of the year or at a certain period of the vegetative life cycle stages. They knew how to recognize the signs of Mother Nature by living in perfect symbiosis and respect with their environment and the land they were working on and feeding on a daily basis.
Permaculture
(*****) Permaculture: "Permaculture is a set of design principles centred on whole systems thinking, simulating, or directly utilizing the patterns and resilient features observed in natural ecosystems. It uses these principles in a growing number of fields from regenerative agriculture, rewilding, and community resilience." - Wikipedia
Talking about permaculture brings me the idea that one day I will dedicate a post to that eco-friendly type of culture that I love and will extend the post to talk about regenerative culture, which, in my opinion, is the only way to respect and save the environment and preserve the earth for a better future.
Here is a quick visual (courtesy of General Mills) for you to better understand at one glance the benefits of permaculture and regenerative culture.
But that is the subject of another post......
...til next time, be well and be safe, and take good care of yourself and your loved ones.
LeDom
💥 Work in progress 💥
(*) Leonardo Da Vinci's famous painting "The Last Supper" revisited by and for @ledomduvin
(**) Funny enough, when I started to write this post I wrote at first "she said this" (e.g. in her opinion) and refer to that person as a "she" (not a "He") not having realized that it was a man (not a woman) who wrote the article I just read.... even if his picture and a short bio end the article..... Oooops... I changed it after reading the article a second time... feminine style of writing maybe, eh? ... 😉 I then later on corrected my post by replacing the "She" by "He", but I swear, at first, I really thought "he" (i.e. the writer) was actually a "she".... go figure... (***) Info sourced from Encyclopedia.1914-1918 (read the full article here) (****) Info courtesy of Wikipedia, read the full article here
